Is your shop's logo doing all the heavy lifting? Spoiler alert: it's not even close.

In this episode of Maximum Octane, branding expert and Director of Business Development at Silver Lake Auto, Krista Oldenburg, teams up with Jason Patel to deliver a masterclass on brand strategy, AI-powered marketing, and the real reason customers (and employees) choose your shop over the competition.

You'll learn how to clarify your mission, stop wasting time on outdated social media posts, and turn ChatGPT into your best marketing hire—no budget bloat required.

If you're still treating branding like fluff, you're leaving revenue and recruiting power on the table. This episode shows you how to fix that.

Episode Takeaways:

1:50 Krista's journey from part-time social media specialist to Director of Business Development

4:10 The Harbor Freight vs. Snap-on analogy—and what it teaches us about branding

7:30 Why "brand" isn't your logo: it's your business DNA

9:00 What happened when Silver Lake got intentional with its brand 2.5 years ago

13:40 How to build a brand that attracts growth-minded techs

15:50 Mission statements that move the needle: "We exist to serve because you deserve better"

18:20 What shop owners get wrong on social media (and how to fix it)

21:10 The power of "edutainment" over generic review posts

24:40 Turning testimonials into trust-building content

26:00 Leveraging ChatGPT to run a strong strategy with a tiny team

30:20 How to audit your website, reviews, and social media using AI

33:00 What it means to "raise ChatGPT like a child" for your marketing

36:50 Creating your own GPT trained with your brand and voice

38:40 Holding vendors accountable like team members

MEET KRISTA OLDENBURG:

Krista Oldenburg is the Director of Business Development at Silver Lake Auto & Tire Center, where she's transformed the shop's branding and recruitment strategies. Starting as a part-time social media specialist, Krista now leads growth initiatives, vendor relations, and a high-impact marketing operation—all with a lean team and an AI edge.

She's a self-proclaimed "professional extrovert" who believes in bold branding, clear messaging, and human-first marketing. Her roundtable at the Super Conference sparked this episode's in-depth exploration of how auto repair businesses can grow by prioritizing brand clarity.

Connect with Krista Oldenburg:

• LinkedIn
• Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers
• Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers LinkedIn

Resources mentioned:

• The Brand Infinity Loop
• Leverage ChatGPT
• The Great Eight
• Building Blocs of Brand Identity
• ChatGPT Prompts

Let's connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

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